Eyes and Fingers of a Canadian Nerd with only a spellcheck to edit the work.

9 Apr 2016

Mass Effect 2 Journal - 10

Shepard returned to the Liara and checked in on his investments. He moved a few more strategic pieces and spent some time with Liara. She was still in the darker places and he needed to try and remind her that there was a reason and a light worth keeping lit.

Upon returning to the ship, Grunt started acting out. EDI surmised that he was entering a development phase. Unlike a human where puberty is new hair and odd feelings, Krogans need to kill things. In the case of a genetic perfect Krogan, Grunt needs to kill things that are really big. Shepard took Garus and Grunt to see Wrex now the leader of Urdnot Clan. Krogan go through a right of passage with the support of their clan. Without a Clan Wrex explains that Shepard and Garus are allowed to help the young Grunt enter into adulthood as his krantt. Grunt's unique place in Krogan society causes problems - Gatatog Uvenk. A Krogan extremist and isolationist who challenged Grunt's right to perform the trials.

Shepard ignored him, no need to spend energy on someone like that. With Garus providing overwatch Grunt and Shepard arrived at the trial space. At the place of the trial lies a Keystone that when used summons a thresher maw. Before the creature arrives the keystone called lesser creatures. Grunt would always run right into the fray getting bogged down by the waves of beasts. Shepard would charge in to break up the mob while Garus' shots pass overhead striking down weakened creatures.

Grunt meets a Thresher maw

In the end the thresher maw arrived. Shepard had defeated these things in the past but normally in an armored assault vehicle. Now he was on foot. The monster dropped Grunt in a few blows and soon it was Shepard and Garus doing all the work until Grunt was able to get back up and rejoin the fight. Each time the young Krogan would be knocked down and Shepard would be there to pick up Grunt.

The trial was more than individual success it was about demonstrating the ability to pick the best team to support your hunt. Grunt had the best with him and after some back and forth the thresher maw fell. Gatatog and his kratt were watching the whole time. It seems the last person to not only survive but defeat a thresher maw in the trials was Wrex. Grunt is indeed a powerful Krogan and Gatatog has it in his head that killing Grunt will afford him a higher social standing. Instead he crosses the line - he threatens one of Shepard's crew. Gatatog has much to learn along side everything else in the galaxy. Don't fuck with Shepard's crew. The fight was fast and brutal and help solidify Grunt's entrance as a full member of the Urdnot Clan. Grunt would be back but the thresher maw was nothing to killing a Reaper and Grunt wanted in on that so the team returned to the ship.

Within everything that's been happening Mordin reached out to Shepard. They were still in orbit of Tuchanka and it brought up a secret. Mordin had helped with the Genophage... updating it to overcome the natural evolution of the Krogan who would finally overcome it through generations. His old apprentice Maelon who worked with him on the Genophage was captured by Blood Pack and was being held on Tuchanka. They were hired by Weyrloc Clan who was trying to overcome the effects of the Genophage. Mordin had two problems: the first was saving his former apprentice who's knowledge of the Genophage could advance their work, and second prevent the Weyrloc Clan from defeating the Genophage.

The team headed to the abandoned hospital at the edge of the Urgnot borders. The scouts who guided Shepard here did so only because they hoped he'd bring back one of the own who had gone missing. Contact with the Blood Pack was early on the advance towards the hospital. Garus made the first shot calling the team to arms. Shepard followed up slamming into the mercenaries. Mordin just watched. Seriously he did nothing on the first fight - as if he was scared or frozen.
Shaking off the fights and entering into the hospital the team comes upon the first of many failed experiments. Live experiments and almost tortured subjects, Mordin shows anger as he riles against what he is seeing. They get deeper into the hospital when they are confronted by the Speaker of the Weyrloc Clan. Like a madman he pontificated above Shepard and the victims of the experiment. Shepard cut him short and fired a round at a set of gas tanks. Mordin was no longer frozen and waded deep into the fight. Shepard kept Mordin from getting overwhelmed when Garus got into a duel with the enemy shooters.

The fight was short and the team moved deeper into the hospital. They found the wounded scout and told to link back with the scout team outside. Once in the bowls of the hospital in the occupied research wing. Weyrloc Clan and Blood Pack tried to hold Shepard and his team back but now they knew they were under attack and time was the factor for ensuring Maelon would not be killed. It was now a Hostage mission. Once they breached the final lab they found Maelon... who was working with the Weyrloc Clan out of guilt and not through threat. Mordin was furious - he knew the guilt Maelon carried but Maelon should never have given in to it. The horror's that Maelon inflicted on the female Krogan was barberic and Maelon threatened to restart for as long as he was alive. Mordin quietly solved that issue and was only left with Maelon's ill gotten data. Shepard had Modin keep it why waste something that was paid for and at such a high price.

Back at the Normandy Morin and Grunt settled in back to their respective routines. Grunt was now fending off mating offers and Morin was even more vested into the mission at hand. Shepard visited each of the crew to see how things were going. Jack and Miranda were more calm and focused. Jacob and Garus was gearing up for the fight... Shepard returned to Liara and checked in on her. She was busy working but took some time for him. He looked over the rest of the information on the dossier that Cerberus had given him. The Assassin... Thane.

Shepard needed someone who was already dirty. Someone who could get the job done in case Shepard died. Shepard needed a backup plan and Thane would get it done and Shepard's team would be saved the guilt. Yet Thane's files showed something else... Thane was not just another killer he was repentant. He was another dirty job man just like Shepard. Unlike Shepard he was dying cancer...

Alright Thane looked like the perfect candidate for the mission. Time to go get him.

Who is Dozer

My name is Dozer, I work for the Oppressive Arm of the Man as a 1st level boss. I warned everyone that a Tauntun wouldn't make it past the first marker and walking into Mordor is a poor idea. I stole those drugs from that journalist on Friday to keep the Spice flowing. My Little Black Pig is always getting lost but he's not singing in that punk band 'the Replicants' anymore. I've got levels in Nerd, with some student feats and a few advancements in Husband. The cat is dead - ignore that eight and a half by eleven. Be happy said cat wasn't fed to a murderous ATM machine from the 1980's. Tap this card and spend 1 Colourless Mana, 1 Blue Mana and 1 Black Mana to activate the Intrigue/Psi, Human only Conflict - 'Where is John Galt?'. I was almost eaten by a Grue but I know the Konami code and Cup taught me the Universal Greeting. My ARO is pop my Feat and pass the dice for armour saves. Don't ask why we don't have enough fuel to make 88 mph. It has to do with making room for the tuna, fighting over crackers and a Big Gay Robot. For those of you who want to know I call it 'Dick Grayson'. Chocolate covered pretzel? Damn Romulan Ale. Yip yip!